| Title | : | The Bad Friend |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1662518617 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781662518614 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 44 |
| Publication | : | First published March 19, 2024 |
Ellen has a lot to be thankful for. Her fiancé, Troy, is perfectly sweet. Her childhood friend Tanya, despite her edgier taste in men, is like a sister to her closest friend—and rival. So familiar and yet, over the years, so many secrets between them. For Ellen, what lies ahead is a series of choices that will add up to a life she never could have imagined.
Caroline Kepnes’s The Bad Friend is part of Never Tell, a heart-pounding collection of stories about secrets, lies, and mind games. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Just keep the endings to yourself.
The Bad Friend Reviews
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4★
“Every so often you think about Tanya.
It’s been a few years since you spoke. There wasn’t some big fight. You got married and you got pregnant. She got into law school. It happens. People drift. She would die if she saw you now. You’re in a yellow sweater and you’re a mom, waiting in the stinky lobby…”
Ellen, Ellie, El talks to herself in the second person throughout her story. I say ‘her’ story, although it’s the story of several people, but with Ellie, everything is about her. At first it seems odd for her to be narrating her story in the second person, with herself as the audience, but then it occurred to me that everything is about her, her, her – or rather – me, me, me, so she doesn’t need anyone else listening.
It opens with her and her brand new fiancé, Mr Nice Guy (Troy) in a booth waiting for Tanya to arrive with her date. As Troy talks, Ellie spots a nice-looking Tall Guy in boots and immediately begins fantasising about him, imagining that he has seen her and is secretly fantasising about her.
“He’s talking to you. Not the tall man. Troy. Your fiancé is talking to you.
‘Fries?’
‘Sure!’
Troy knows you want fries. You always want fries, but he always asks just in case. You run your fingers over your collarbone because of the other man, the tall man.
‘Sorry,’ Troy says.
He says that a lot when you drift, and you say what you say a lot: Me too, babe. I spaced out, but I’m back.’
He loves you more than you love him. You’ve wasted time with the tall guys, and you’re no idiot. You met him two years ago in a dive bar. You were out with Tanya. Reeling from your latest breakup, cursing men. Tanya said that wasn’t fair because your latest ‘obsession’ was like all the guys you go for. Openly, obviously bad. And here was Troy. A human safety net with his puppy-soft hair and his boyish freckles, quick to laugh, to blush, to love. Still the same now, Troy Sweet Troy.”
Ellie recounts her history to herself all the way up to the present, a lifetime later, where we learn she met the Tall Guy again, years after her engagement, in unusual circumstances. Eventually we finally hear a bit of the other side of her me-me-me story and where her self-absorption has led her.
Kepnes certainly covered a lot of territory for a short story, and I enjoyed seeing where she took her characters. It’s a different kind of suspense from the other stories in the collection, but it certainly hides quite a secret. This is my favourite of the six.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for a copy for review of the #NeverTell (Can You Keep a Secret?) collection.
I have reviewed all six stories in the collection:
Everywhere You Look by
Liv Constantine
My review of Everywhere You Look
The Ghost Writer by
Loreth Anne White
My review of The Ghost Writer
The Other Side of the Road by
Andrea Bartz
My review of The Other Side of the Road
Scorpions by
Rachel Howzell Hall
My review of Scorpions
Jackrabbit Skin by
Ivy Pochoda
My review of Jackrabbit Skin
The Bad Friend by
Caroline Kepnes
My review of The Bad Friend -
3.5 Stars — The Bad Friend was a bit different from the other short stories I've read from this collection. It was very unsettling, and downright depressing too. I did like how time moved quickly over the main character's lifetime to see the consequences of her actions. This is what happens when you're never satisfied with what you've got.
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the setup…
Ellen and Tanya are childhood friends who seemed to drift apart after a pivotal encounter right before Ellen married her fiancé Troy. Tanya met them for drinks, accompanied by a man that was quite appealing, at least on the surface. Though Ellen thought she and Tanya were as close as sisters, there was an edge to their relationship and Ellen was on the receiving end. Many years later, they had a chance meeting that upended her world.
the heart of the story…
Have you ever had that friend who would deliver compliments that felt like they had barbs around them? That best describes Tanya’s behavior toward Ellen, at least in Ellen’s mind. There’s definitely a rivalry and it shaped Ellen’s life decisions even after they became estranged. That next encounter years later had a bombshell effect and even I couldn’t tell if Ellen’s imagination and paranoia were running amok or if there was game playing on Tanya’s part.
the narration…
It’s Julia Whelan at her finest, capturing all of Ellen’s emotions so well, drawing me into her mindset as if I were there!
the bottom line…
This was extremely thought provoking and unsettling. Don’t expect a straightforward ending, which I found provocative and appropriate. Did Ellen get what she deserved, was she played or was it just life? You’ll have to decide and I still haven’t made up my mind.
Posted on
Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy of the collection. All opinions are my own.) -
The Bad Friend is the sixth, and final, installment in the Never Tell short story collection. I am a fan of Caroline Kepnes's work so this was probably my most anticipated of them all. It is told in the rare 2nd person POV, which I am a big fan of. Fast paced and unique. The ending felt a little open to interpretation. Did our main character finally find clarity or did her jealousy and betrayal ultimately become her new truth?
4 stars. -
First, I love these exclusive Kindle Unlimited series on Amazon. I've read quite a few of them. This is from the new "Never Tell" collection.
--
"Can you keep a secret?
How well do you know people? How well do they know you? Six award-winning, bestselling authors of suspense explore the lingering threat of secrets and the inescapable fear that they can’t stay buried forever."
--
Everywhere You Look
By Liv Constantine
The Ghost Writer
By Loreth Anne White
The Other Side of the Road
By Andrea Bartz
Scorpions
By Rachel Howzell Hall
Jackrabbit Skin
By Ivy Pochoda
The Bad Friend
By Caroline Kepnes
I will for sure read them all! This one was so good. Classic Kepnes storytelling. If you love her "YOU" series and love to hate Joe Goldberg, you will enjoy loving to hate the protagonist in this story as well.
Ellen is a woman unsatisfied with what she has and has a roving eye for what she thinks she needs. This puts her in direct competition with her best friend, but the reality is, that she's just a miserable person in competition with only herself. We all know people like this. I do too and it was so satisfying and validating to watch this play out--even though it does get pretty dark...because it's Caroline Kepnes!
CWs (SA and abortion) -
Short story I could not connect with on any level.
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Story 3 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Julia Whelan -
Oh wow. This story took a turn I wasn’t expecting.
I’m seeing lower ratings for this story here but for me, this was a 5.
Understanding too well the dynamics of the bff and then growing apart dynamic that sometimes happens with friends, this story really pulled me in.
But that twist though! Man…this lady kind of built her own life of hell by staying in her head and not opening her mouth. Then the denial, doubt, bargaining, justification… almost like the stages of grief!!! That’s all I’m saying without spoiling it for you.
This story is one I’m going to be thinking about for awhile.
Amazon Original short story. 5 stars. Thanks for reading! -
With Friends Like These...
Review of the Amazon Original Stories eBook (March 19, 2024), released simultaneously with the Audible Original audiobook.
This didn't feel at all in keeping with the suspense fiction in the other stories of the Never Tell collection. The suspense here was only from the questions: "which one of them is the bad friend?" and "is anything going to happen?" Eventually a supposed secret is revealed, but even the truth of that is questioned, so you are left in doubt at the end.
It is 2 stars only for the ambition of telling a lifetime over the course of 44 pages. Ellen and Tanya are young women at the beginning and are 70 something years old at the end. The story goes over their friendship, the boyfriends, their husbands, their children with the unresolved revelation coming towards the conclusion.
The Bad Friend is the sixth of six Amazon Original Stories eBooks/Audible Audio audiobooks released on March 19, 2024 as part of the
Never Tell Collection of short stories which are promoted with the collective description:"How well do you know people? How well do they know you? Six award-winning, bestselling authors of suspense explore the lingering threat of secrets and the inescapable fear that they can’t stay buried forever. No matter how dark the hiding place, the consequences of revealing the truth can bring out the worst in lovers, friends, family, and strangers."
Trivia and Links
Caroline Kepnes is the author of several novels, the most popular of which is
You (You #1, 2014) which was also the basis for the Netflix TV series. Her most recent novel is
For You and Only You (You #4, 2023).
You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page
here (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region). -
yes, it grabbed my interest but the fact that as a reader you'll never if it is real or not is what bothers me.
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This woman is def a bad friend WOW
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The Bad Friend was so different than the other books in the Never Tell collection of short stories. I was sucked in from the first page. I like that Caroline uses big time leaps to pack as much into the short story as she could. This one was deep and left me feeling more sad than anything. Decent short story though!
The Bad Friend is a short story in the Never Tell collection with Amazon Original Stories. Thank you to NetGalley! -
Like the author's previous books in her You series, this short story is written in second person point of view, which I found decidedly unsettling, since the main character, Ellen, is not a particularly admirable person. What newly-affianced person yearns after a tall, handsome "bad boy" while sitting at a restaurant table with said fiancé? The story takes the reader through the years, including Ellen's marriage to and inevitable divorce from the fiancé, then husband, and then her marriage to the bad boy, who wasn't quite so bad after all. One thing I found puzzling was that in the beginning, Ellen and Tanya are best friends, practically joined at the hip. Ellen admired Tanya so much that at one point I wondered if she was in love with Tanya. Then, over the space of a few years, Tanya disappears from Ellen's life, only showing up for a couple of cameos in the remainder of the story. Strange choice on the author's part, I thought, at least the choice not to give an explanation for Tanya's distancing herself from Ellen.
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The story is about complex relationships, secrets , jealousy and unexpected friendships. This is really deep and touching. It really emphasised on mistakes we make in life and realisation hit us when we grow up and we wish if we did things differently.
Many Thanks to Author, Publisher and Netgalley -
Caroline Kepnes, what are you doing to me?!?! This coulda been its own series - I want to live in Ellen’s miserable head for so much longer 😣😆
First off, for YOU fans, this is told in second person 🥰. Kepnes does this better than all others. It’s different here than when Joe does it, but it is just as effective.
Second, I feel like Ellen is how Beck would have turned out if she hadn’t made her way to the Big City and crossed paths with Joe 🤔. Like Beck, Ellen doesn’t truly deserve what comes her way. But she doesn’t really do enough to be a better person that might stop it 🤷🏻♀️.
And finally, I don’t know what I truly believe. Did Ross do it or didn’t he? Is Tonya lying? You think you’ve settled these answers for yourself. And then, Kepnes weaves in one more doubt, one more suspicion.
The world does not get enough books from Caroline Kepnes- please, keep ‘em coming 🙏🏻 -
The Bad Friend is a short story in the Never Tell Collection by Caroline Kepnes. Pregnant and engaged to the good, kind Troy (who doesn’t excite her), Ellen and her fiancé are at a restaurant waiting for her best friend Tanya (late as usual) and her latest (probably another loser) boyfriend. A tall, gorgeous, blue-eyed man catches her eye. He winks. She stares. Is he flirting with her? It’s a shock when this is the guy Tanya brings to meet them. Ross Tate continues the looks, winks. But Ellen is engaged, and her baby girl will be someone she can love, someone who will love her. Fast forward a few years, Ellen has lost contact with Tanya, her boredom leads to divorce from Troy and, a few years on, a hook-up with guess who! But is this a good idea? A second-person narrative in which the protagonist isn’t very likeable, and maybe gets what she deserves? A jaw-dropping twist. 4 stars
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories. -
Not really a thriller. Just a sad story of always wanting what someone else has. I did like the way the story moved through the years quickly so you could see how Ellen’s decisions affected her life and those of others but it was difficult to feel for her because she was so unlikeable (which I think was the point).
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review. -
Wow, this was just depressing, and left me feeling unsettled. Not an enjoyable read and I'm not sure what to take away from this one. I don't like the feeling I'm left with after reading it.
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Easily the weakest part of the Never Tell anthology. Couldn't find one thing that I liked about it.
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3.5/5 stars
The Bad Friend is a short story in the Never Tell collection (Amazon Original Story).
This story is told in the 2nd person POV (using "you"). This is Ellen's story. She has a best friend Tanya and is engaged to Troy. But she's never happy.
The story moves forward in time quickly. At first I found this a bit jarring. But as the story progressed I did find it interesting to move through Ellen's life and see how she experienced things.
The Bad Friend is full of secrets and I was shocked by what Tanya told Ellen near the end. This part made the story more interesting to me and made me wonder what was true.
Overall this is a very unique story that it quite thought provoking. -
I'm glad I don't have friends like this!!!! Very unrelatable to me.
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This was the 6th and final book in the Never Tell Collection. And while it did offer a twist it still didn’t feel like a thriller. Her childhood friend Tanya, despite her edgier taste in men, is like a sister to Ellen: her closest friend—and rival. So familiar and yet, over the years, so many secrets between them. For Ellen, what lies ahead is a series of choices that will add up to a life she never could have imagined. This story jumped forward in time quite a few times and the only prompting was the age of the side characters. I think this would have been better as a full length novel with more suspense and thrills.
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3.5. This was so different than the last 5. Talk about mind games, yikes! Who’s lying?
The ending just didn’t work for me. -
Ok
The Bad Friend
By: Caroline Kepnes
43 pages
3.5⭐️
Life goes on. People grow up and realize they aren't living the life they want. Where does life lead when you realize it's time to divorce, and you miss your old best friend.
My Thoughts
The is a YMC. The book is written as you. I'm not crazy about this type. Kinda like a YN in fanfic, only the FMC is named Ellen.
The bad friend was not what I thought. None of the characters were likable. The setting was really prevalent. Yet I enjoyed it.
The bad thought that run through your head. The ones that tell you your husband is boring, your life is boring. What if you listened to the voice? Made decisions based on those decisions. That would be this book. -
3.5⭐
✨ "Real love comes when people lay their ugly hearts out on the table. But again, it's the same old story. You didn't. And now, as Troy once said, well, now it's too late."
Oof, this was not what I thought at all... in a good way! The title turned out to be so clever 😉
Everything about this was so well-written and realistic that it felt partly like a commentary about life. The loneliness, isolation, the void, always feeling like there's something better out there – it was captured so perfectly and I think readers will be able to relate. Really enjoyed what a thought-provoking, reflective and unique read this was! -
Esse conto tem 44 páginas e conta toda a vida adulta de uma mulher. Toda a vida adulta. São, sei lá, 40 ou 50 anos de uma vida chata de uma mulher chata. Eu sei que as pessoas se mostram diferente do que são em seu âmago, mas no fim das contas tanto faz porque essa mulher é uma chata e no final ela descobre que uma pequena coisa que ela fez logo que começa o conto pode ter tido consequências terríveis. Grande coisa.
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Never Tell Series
This felt like a very very long run on sentence. Not my fave. Didn’t feel like the secret was big enough for the story. -
In this captivating short story, the delicate interplay between the protagonist's actions and the narrator's voice creates a compelling narrative of introspection and consequence. Through concise yet evocative storytelling, the tale delves into the complexities of human frailty and the lasting impact of regret.
The narrator's adept portrayal infuses the story with depth and emotion, drawing readers into the protagonist's journey. Each misstep taken by the protagonist resonates with clarity, serving as a poignant reminder of the weight of one's decisions.
What makes this short story stand out is its ability to convey profound themes in a succinct format. The narrator's cadence guides readers through a range of emotions, from fleeting moments of hope to somber reflections on loss and redemption. -
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this series!
This was a great way to end the series. What a powerful story. It was raw and heartbreaking. I was sucked in from the very beginning and could not put it down. The time jumps were done so well. It didn’t make you feel like you were missing anything. This story was well thought out and told so perfectly.
